Acts 19:40

For we are in danger to be called in question for this day's uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse. FOR WE (THE PUBLIC AUTHORITIES) ARE IN DANGER TO BE CALLED IN QUESTION - `of being impeached' by our superiors FOR ('ABOUT') THIS DAY'S UPROAR, THERE BEING NO CAUSE WHEREBY ('NO GROUND ON WHICH') WE MAY GIVE AN ACCOUNT OF THIS CONCOURSE....

32-41 The Jews came forward in this tumult. Those who are thus careful to distinguish themselves from the servants of Christ now, and are afraid of being taken for them, shall have their doom accordingly in the great day. One, having authority, at length stilled the noise. It is a very good rule at all times, both in private and public affairs, not to be hasty and rash in our motions, but to take time to consider; and always to keep our passions under check. We ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly; to do nothing in haste, of which we may repent at leisure. The regular methods of the law ought always to stop popular tumults, and in well-governed nations will do so. Most people stand in awe of men's judgments more than of the judgement of God. How well it were if we would thus quiet our disorderly appetites and passions, by considering the account we must shortly give to the Judge...

Verse Acts 19:40. _FOR WE ARE IN DANGER_, c.] Popular commotions were always dreaded by the Roman government and so they should by all governments; for, when _might_ has nothing to direct its operations but _passion_, how destructive must these operations be! One of the Roman laws made all such commotions of the people _capital_ offenses against those who raised them. _Qui caetum et concursus fecerit,_ _capite puniatur_: "He who raises a mob shall forfeit his life." If such a law existed at Ephesus-and it probably did, from this reference to it in the words of the town-clerk or recorder-then Demetrius must feel himself in great personal danger; and that his own life lay now at the mercy of those whom he had accused, concerning whom he had raised such an outcry, and against whom nothing disorderly could be proved....

TO BE CALLED IN QUESTION - By the government; by the Roman authority. Such a tumult, continued for so long. a time, would be likely to attract the attention of the magistrates, and expose them to their displeasure. Popular commotions were justly dreaded by the Roman government; and such an assembly as this, convened without any good cause, would not escape their notice. There was a Roman law which made it capital for anyone to be engaged in promoting a riot. Sui coetum, et concursum fecerit, capite puniatur: “He who raises a mob, let him be punished with death.”...

EXPOSITION ACTS 19:1 _Country _for _coasts, _A.V.; _found _for _finding, _A.V. and T.R. THE UPPER COUNTRY (τὰ ἀνωτερικὰ μέρη); the inland districts of Galatia and Phrygia, through which St. Paul journeyed on his way to Ephesus, as distinguished from the seacoast on which Ephesus stood. DISCIPLES. They were like Apollos, believers in the Lord Jesus through the preaching of John the Baptist. It looks as if they were companions of Apollos, and had come with him from Alexandria, perhaps for some purpose of trade or Commerce. ACTS 19:2 _And he said _for _he said, _A.V. and T.R.; _did ye receive _for _have ye received, _A.V.; _when _for _since, _A.V.

FOR WE ARE IN DANGER OF BEING CALLED IN QUESTION,.... Or are liable to be called to an account, reproved, and punished by the Roman proconsul, appointed over this city, or by the Roman emperor, or the Roman senate: for this day's uproar; it being capable of being interpreted as a riot, tumult, and sedition: THERE BEING NO CAUSE WHEREBY WE MAY GIVE AN ACCOUNT OF THIS CONCOURSE: or no reason can be assigned, why such a number of people should gather together; none can be given that will justify it, or that can be alleged in favour of it....

ACTS 19:40 @ouv# {C} Neither variant reading is without difficulty, and Hort, followed by Ropes, suspected the presence of a primitive error that has infected all texts. Hort conjectured that “probably ai;tioi u`pa,rcontej should be read for aivti,ou u`pa,rcontoj, with the construction mhdeno.j ai;tioi u`pa,rcontej peri. ou- ouv k)t)l) (‘although we are guilty of nothing concerning which’ &c.).” 354 C. F. D. Moule supposes that the author made a rough draft that involved several alternative forms of the sentence, and that he neglected finally to delete the ones with which he was dissatisfied. 355 The Committ...

CHAPTER 19 _ 1. The second visit of Paul to Ephesus. The twelve disciples of John (Acts 19:1)._ 2. The Apostle's continued labors. The separation of the disciples. The Province Asia evangelized (Acts 19:8). 3. The Power of God and the Power of Satan (Acts 19:11). 4. Paul plans to go to Jerusalem and to visit Rome (Acts 19:21). 5. The opposition and riot at Ephesus (Acts 19:23). The disciples whom Paul found at Ephesus were disciples of John. The question the Apostle asked them has often been made the foundation of wrong teach

TUMULT AT EPHESUS. A change of religion (for the Way, _cf. Acts 9:2_) bears hardly on certain trades. In ch. 16 the Gospel interfered with the trade of soothsaying; here the art of the silversmith suffers. This opens a large chapter in the early history of Christianity (_cf._ Tertullian, _On the Public Games; The Soldier's Crown)._ Demetrius, to judge from his speech, is rather an employer than a craftsman. His business has been falling off, or he fears it may do so. The silver shrines would be used as mementoes of travel, but people would not purchase them if they ceased to believe in Artemis, and this was the evident outcome of Paul's teaching. The silversmiths and allied trades are therefore called together, and it is pointed out that not only the trade but the goddess herself must suffer if the preaching goes on. The audience fully agrees, works itself up, and vents its feelings in

IN EPHESUS (Acts 19:1-7) Acts 19:1-41 is mainly concerned with Paul's work in Ephesus. He stayed longer there than anywhere else, almost three years. (i) Ephesus (G2181) was the market of Asia Minor. In those days trade followed the river valleys. Ephesus stood at the mouth of the Cayster and therefore commanded the richest hinterland in Asia Minor. Revelation 18:12-13 gives a description of the trade of Ephesus. She was known as "The Treasure House of Asia" and someone has called her, "The Vanity Fair of Asia Minor." (ii) She was an Assize Town. That is to say, at specified times the Roman governor came there and great cases of justice were tried. S